First Indicators: Huge PPV Buyrate for Pacquiao-Hatton
by Nick_ on May 4, 2009 10:52 AM EDT
27 comments
CNN International is reporting that preliminary numbers suggest huge PPV buys for Pacquiao-Hatton.
[E]arly indications from cable companies were that the scheduled 12-round light-welterweight bout could get as many as two million buys.
Bob Arum is quoted as calling for between 1.6 and two million buys.
"We know based on those early numbers and based on experience the event will perform extremely well. If I had to guess, anywhere between 1.6 million and two million homes, which is a home run," he said.
Editor's Note (by SC): If this is true (or even close to it), even my fairly high expectations would be seriously blown out of the water. What this would mean is that Manny Pacquiao's phenom status has gone the way of his boxing skills: It just gets bigger and bigger. And a lot of the credit would go to Ricky Hatton, too, who is a fantastic personality and a credit to boxing. Both guys are.
I would sort of worry about this in the sense that I might go, "Well, all these people bought it and then didn't see a great fight." But I think everyone realizes what they saw, even the most casual fans. This was supposed to be a great fight and one guy destroyed the other guy. It was Tyson-esque, and heaven knows Mike sold some fights in his day. Even with the quick finish of the bout, those who were told, "It won't be another boring Mayweather superfight, trust me" were not lied to.
FanPosts do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors of Bad Left Hook or SB Nation. They might, though.
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Wow thats impressive. Damn, I underestimated big time if true. Awesome!
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
by xFenixKnightx on May 4, 2009 11:14 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
that's a ridiculous number.
I’ll believe it when I see it.
by steak_knife on May 4, 2009 1:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Arum is likely overstating things, but I think the fight is probably a lock for a million buys at least.
by Nick_ on May 4, 2009 1:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’d hope so. I don’t know anyone who’s complaining about the money they’d spent for the PPV. Even on the low end, 1.5 M is amazing.
by steak_knife on May 4, 2009 1:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Thanks for the post
i’ve been curious about the numbers.. if they are true, AMAZING! Hopefully casual fans will see the fight on May 2nd as a reason to tune into boxing in the future – or at the very least, Pacquiao fights.
by jerranamo on May 4, 2009 2:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Arum is always overestimating by about 30-50%
Which would still make this damn near a million buys. Considering the godawful undercard, that translates to one hell of a lot of interest.
"This fight'll be the nastiest thing you'll ever see. I been sober for six weeks, and that makes me vicious."
-- Randall 'Tex' Cobb
by jrok on May 4, 2009 3:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
It will, unfortunately, buttress the “undercards don’t matter” argument.
by schraubd on May 4, 2009 3:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The thing is they can go “our research tells us…”
But Brent from Bloody Elbow and I were talking about this the other day, too. The research will tell them that because fans — even casual — have been conditioned to think the undercard will suck, so of course they don’t care, you know?
To be totally honest I’d have rather seen Matthew Hatton’s fight than the two four-rounders the other night. Matthew fights hard and I’d rather be entertained by a good, mid-level scrap than watch Lara and Korobov smash guys on a $50 show.
by SC on May 4, 2009 4:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Is he talking about international PPV sales or domestic? I’m going to assume domestic.
"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." - Sir Winston Churchill
by FlyByKnight on May 4, 2009 4:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
That’d be insane then. I did not think it’d do over one million. I had it at 830,000 and I felt that was generous due to people not wanting to shell out the money on a consistent basis. But I guess Manny’s victory over Oscar really pushed him over the top to many fans, casual and hardcore alike, and it really sold him to the public as a whole. In the states, all Hatton is remembered as is the guy that Mayweather made a fool out of. So, in my opinion, this huge boon in PPV sales for this fight would most likely be all of Manny’s doing. At least that’s my assessment on the situation.
"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." - Sir Winston Churchill
by FlyByKnight on May 4, 2009 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I had 850K and was prepared if it was around that to explain that that’s a massive number for 140-pound fighters, zero Americans, and frankly zero Mexicans, as the Mexican fanbase (again) is the most loyal PPV demographic there is.
But I don’t think you’re giving Ricky enough credit as a personality. People LOVE him, even in the States, and most people didn’t see Floyd embarrass him, really. They saw a guy give it everything he had against a top dog villain they didn’t like. This was another chance for affable Ricky Hatton to become the man. I think maybe people supported that.
by SC on May 4, 2009 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Pacquiao has a pretty huge Mexican fanbase at this point
Keep in mind that the last non-Mexican Pacquiao fought before Hatton (Manchester Mexican?) was Fahsan 3K Battery. And it was long enough ago that I had to look it up to even figure that one out.
Vogt early, Vogt often.
by Brickhaus on May 4, 2009 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I argued the same thing, that Mexican fans seem to have truly taken to Pacquiao, and I think Hatton has a few Mexican fans himself. I will say I didn’t expect that they might contribute this heavily to the buys, though. I mean if this is close (frankly if it’s higher than Oscar-Manny’s 1.25 mil) then this is insane.
by SC on May 4, 2009 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Pac fights like a mexican fighter should fight
Thats why they love him. He can box but he’s a fuckin warrior and they have taken to that in droves. He’s adopted Mexican
Gimme 1 round!
by ItBurnzWhenIP on May 5, 2009 5:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It also doesn’t hurt that he’s always been highly respectful of all his Mexican opponents, including heroes Barrera, Morales and Marquez. He also refused that “Mexecutioner” nickname, which honestly I just think is an awesome nickname, but also pretty classy of Manny to not want it.
by SC on May 5, 2009 6:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i'm a mexican-american
and its pretty well known that the pacman is my favorite fighter right now (and possibly all time)
also mexicutioner is a soul-crushingly awesome nickname
The Dude Abides
by battle axe of doom on May 5, 2009 8:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Man my dreams finally came true a boxing blog yeeeeeeees
Dude that fight on sat was crazy . I thought pac man killed ricki or atleast made him a veggie . WOw this knock out wasnt a shocker for me though I had a gut feeling mannys power and speed was going to take out hatton.
FOUR F'S FIND UM FEEL UM FUGUM FORGET UM.
by sexassassin on May 4, 2009 4:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
PPV numbers
If those are domestic projections, they are truly insane numbers.
If they are international numbers, that’s about where I’d peg them.
What does it mean? Pac is the new PPV king? Or did people want to see Hatton just as much?
by roheblius on May 4, 2009 4:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
A lot of people I know
Who were interested in the Mayweather fights but never bought them, got the Pac fight. He has a huge fan base….
maybe its because hes the best fighter in FNR3
by ryanwk628 on May 4, 2009 4:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Micky Ward was unstoppable in FNR3
Who the heck knows why.
Vogt early, Vogt often.
by Brickhaus on May 4, 2009 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm telling y'all
Juan Lazcano cannot be hurt in FNR3. I think I’ve lost one fight using him against Brent from Bloody Elbow and it was on like the fifth knockdown. The man is a tank.
by SC on May 4, 2009 6:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i got a dude dazed with like 10 punches with jake lamotta. talking about the 360 version btw
The Dude Abides
by battle axe of doom on May 4, 2009 8:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Lamotta wasn't even a hard puncher by most standards
lol
That guy is amazingly underrated in terms of his boxing skill. And he had a jaw of some metal that came from space. But he wasn’t by any means a power puncher
Gimme 1 round!
by ItBurnzWhenIP on May 5, 2009 5:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
yeah its pretty absurd. all i would do is walk through every punch throw two massive shots to the body, power punch his ass to the head, and blam you got yourself a dazed mother f’er.
The Dude Abides
by battle axe of doom on May 5, 2009 8:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
At least in my part of the world it seemed like everyone was into this fight, and this is notable given that I live in a very Hispanic( um… 90%) city. There were barbeque/carne asadas, tons of cars in select houses, and actual talk in the work place about the fight.
"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."
by Zocalo on May 4, 2009 6:18 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
And boxing is dead yer?
Great numbers.
Looks like Death has to keep his scythe on hold for the world of boxing.
"One Shall Stand. One shall Fall" - Optimus Prime
by dinkman on May 5, 2009 8:10 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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